Leadership Team

	Vicki Escarra, CEO Named to The NonProfit Times’ Power and Influence Top 50 for three years in a row, Vicki Escarra is a highly respected leader with a distinguished career as an executive in the nonprofit and corporate sectors. From 2006-2012, Ms. Escarra was president and CEO of Feeding America, the nation’s largest domestic hunger relief organization. Prior to leading Feeding America, she served as chief marketing officer for Delta Airlines Inc. Ms. Escarra led Feeding America through the most significant period of advancement in its three-decade history, elevating it to a $1.2 billion organization. She oversaw the organization through a transition from America’s Second Harvest to Feeding America, increased fundraising by 300 percent, and almost doubled the number of people served who were living in poverty or food insecurity. Under her leadership, Feeding America also established several corporate partnerships with multimillion dollar commitments from Walmart, JP Morgan Chase, Morgan Stanley, Kraft, General Mills and others, growing revenue by four times. Additionally, Ms. Escarra successfully led two major pieces of national legislation providing millions of dollars to increase the amount of healthy food for lower income families. She has been profiled in numerous media outlets including The Wall Street Journal, Chronicle of Philanthropy, USA Today and CBS Evening News. In her longstanding career with Delta Airlines Inc., Ms. Escarra ascended through several leadership positions and ultimately became the company’s chief marketing officer. As one of the highest-ranking women in the aviation industry, she oversaw $15 billion in revenue and led a work force of 52,000. Ms. Escarra actively participates in community and civic service. She served on the board of directors for the financial services company, AG Edwards, from 2004 to 2007, and is currently on the board of HealthNet Corporation and the board of regents for Roosevelt University. She was also chairman of the Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau, and assisted Mayor Shirley Franklin with the Brand Atlanta Campaign. Ms. Escarra received her degree from Georgia State University and completed the Columbia Executive Management Program and the Harvard Leadership Program. She resides in Chicago where she is a member of Fourth Presbyterian Church. Her two grown daughters, Emily and Kathryn, also live in Chicago.
	Paula Berezin, Chief Corporate Strategist Paula is a recognized leader in the nonprofit sector with an unparalleled track record creating value and measurable impact through innovative strategic partnerships worldwide. Since founding Social Capital Partnerships, Paula has served as chief strategist to blue-chip social causes including American Red Cross, Feeding America, United Way World Wide, World Wildlife Fund, U.S. Fund for UNICEF, U.N. Foundation, Special Olympics International, Rotary International, Ronald McDonald House Charities, Habitat for Humanity, Goodwill Industries International and National Park Foundation. Prior to forming Social Capital, Paula established and served as president of IEG Consulting, a leading sponsorship consultancy, for 12 years. Paula has advised hundreds of organizations and corporation on how to successfully use strategic marketing partnerships and create strategies for maximizing resources. Paula is credited for helping clients in the nonprofit, sports and entertainment sectors achieve six- and seven-figure increases in revenue as a result of implementing her recommendations. Paula also served as executive director of two national, nonprofit Olympic Governing Bodies: The US Rowing Association and US Synchronized Swimming. Paula introduced sponsorship to both organizations and during her tenure revenues increased more than 300 percent. Prior to that, Paula worked at PepsiCo in the sports marketing department. She also has served on may nonprofit boards of trustees including the Women’s Sports Foundation and FISA, the international Olympic rowing federation. Paula earned her BA in marketing from Indiana University’s School of Business. She is based in Chicago.
	Richard C. John, Chief Financial Officer Rick is responsible for overseeing the Financial, IT and Administration functions of Opportunity International U.S. He currently serves on the boards of Opportunity Bank Serbia, Opportunity Colombia Finance Company and Opportunity Mexico. He came to Opportunity in 1996 following a distinguished 18 year career at Amoco Corporation (now BP). He held positions as chief financial officer, controller and administration manager for Amoco Polymers, Inc., and prior to that, as process reengineering manager with Corporate Purchasing and Amoco Shared Services in Chicago. He also served as plant finance and administration manager for the Amoco Chemical Company. Before joining Amoco, Rick spent five years at Price Waterhouse (now known as PricewaterhouseCoopers) as the supervising senior auditor. He was listed in “Who’s Who in Finance and Industry” and has been a featured presenter at industry conferences and seminars. Rick earned a Master of Business Administration from Northwestern University and a bachelor in business administration from the University of Wisconsin in Madison. He is a certified administration from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. He is a CPA and member of Financial Executives International, National Association of Corporate Directors and AICPA.
	James Pedersen, General Counsel James F. Pedersen joined Opportunity International as senior vice president and general counsel on January 1, 2013. Jim comes to Dorsey after 38 year career in private practice, most recently with Dorsey & Whitney LLP with headquarters in Minneapolis. During his career with Dorsey, Jim focused primarily on international corporate law, international mergers and acquisitions and investment transactions. He also served on the Dorsey management committee as Head of International Corporate with management responsibility for Dorsey’s offices in New York, London, Brussels, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Tokyo and Canada. He has experience in living and practicing abroad, having spent four years in Brussels and three years in London during his career. Jim is a graduate of the University of Nebraska and Harvard Law School. While new to Opportunity, Jim had the ability to gain some insights into the Opportunity organization during 2012 when, as a partner at Dorsey, he assisted MicroEnsure LLC in its formation of a new holding company and the investment in that company by several new investors. He will be responsible for working with Opportunity US, Opportunity Transformation Investments, the GMO and the implementing members in managing their needs for legal services, including the legal aspects of their investment, divestment and reorganization transactions.
	Dennis Ripley, Chief Business Development Officer Dennis is responsible for securing funds from government, multilateral and financial institution donors; overseeing Opportunity’s funding and investments in over 20 countries; developing and managing strategic alliances with other NGOs, and co-leading the strategic planning for Opportunity International U.S. He currently serves as a board member of Opportunity Colombia and Opportunity DRC, as well as the board of Opportunity’s microinsurance subsidiary, MicroEnsure. Dennis joined Opportunity in 1992 as its vice president for programs, and served as vice president for planning and development before moving into his current role. Prior to joining Opportunity, Dennis was founding president of Exodus World Service in Roselle, IL, a humanitarian agency devoted to mobilizing community groups, families and individuals on behalf of refugees settling in the U.S. During his tenure, he was responsible for board recruitment, designing program services, fundraising and public relations events. Prior to joining Exodus, he was World Relief Corporation’s director of program services in the Refugee Services Division from 1980-1986, and vice president and director of the Refugee Services Division from 1986-1988. Dennis received a Masters of Divinity and completed coursework toward a Masters of Theology at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, IL. He completed his Bachelor of Arts degree at Evangel College in Springfield, MO.
	Hope Schultz, Chief Marketing Officer As the chief steward of Opportunity’s brand and message, Hope brings vast marketing expertise honed over a nearly 30 year career working with some of the world’s most impactful advertising agencies; including McCann Erickson, DDB, Young & Rubicam and Leo Burnett. A strategic planner with experience managing global businesses accounts, Hope has helped to build some of the world’s most iconic brands and developed a sub-specialty in understanding the mindset, behavior and attitude of female consumers. Hope’s ability to synthesize consumer research, competitive intelligence and brand assets into a long term strategy with carefully measured outcomes has at times resulted in clients entering a new business line or creating their own transcending category. For Starwood Hotels, for example, Hope was integral in the launch of both W Hotels and The Heavenly Bed. Her entrepreneurial spirit led her to found her own agency, BroadIntellingence, where she worked with brands such as AllianceBernstein, Unilever and Feeding America to build stronger relationships with women. Hope is also the co-founder of WebVet.com, the leading online provider of vet-approved pet health information. An entrepreneur herself, she understands the passion that drives Opportunity’s clients and appreciates the chance to apply her marketing acumen to build a broader audience with whom to share their inspiring stories of triumph amid the challenging backdrop of extreme poverty.
	Sheila Schwartz, Chief Philanthropic Officer Sheila D. Schwartz, CFRE, joins Opportunity as Chief Philanthropic Officer in March 2013. She has served as the Chief Philanthropic Officer for ProMedica since 2008. Her longevity with ProMedica has spanned nearly 20 years, demonstrating her profound dedication to health care. During her time at ProMedica, it has grown dramatically, from a small health care organization to a nationally recognized health system overseeing many communities in Northwest Ohio providing leadership to 14 foundations throughout ProMedica Health System, in Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan. During her tenure she cultivated an outstanding team of fund raising professionals and together, they developed a variety of comprehensive approaches to building a successful, sustainable philanthropy program. Prior to joining ProMedica, Sheila served as Director of Gift Programs at Siena Heights University. Her interests include opportunities to transform individual and organizational ways of being connected in communities, focusing on catalytic philanthropy, striving to make our world a better place. She has served on the Council for Advancement and Support of Education as an Institutional member, the Lenawee County United Way Board of Directors, a board member of a domestic violence shelter in Lenawee County and as chair of the Lenawee Economic Development Corporation, a Lenawee Community Foundation Chair, and Lenawee Intermediate School District Foundation Board. Sheila Schwartz received a B.A. of Human Services from Siena Heights College and a Master of Arts (ABT) in Guidance and Counseling from Siena Heights College. Additionally, she is trained in the areas of fund-raising, collaboration and health care.
	Connie Stryjak, Chief Human Resources Officer Connie is responsible for global human resources and people strategy, planning, staffing, talent management and succession processes, as well as compensation and benefits, employee relations and leadership development and training. Prior to joining Opportunity in 1991, she was vice president of human resources at GE Capital Aviation Services in Shannon, Ireland, where she provided human resource leadership and services for managers and employees throughout Europe and Asia. Before moving to Ireland, Connie worked for GE Capital Railcar Services as the director of organization and staffing and as the manager of pensions and compensation, with responsibility for all of North America. She also served as manager of training and development. Prior to joining GE Capital, Connie worked for the Administrative Management Group as consultant/account manager for a variety of employee benefit programs. Connie graduated from Governors State University in University Park, Ill., with a B.A. in business and personnel management.